Don’t forget Aklan’s ‘freedom fighters’
BY BOY RYAN B. ZABAL

KALIBO, Aklan – Vice Gov. Ronquillo Tolentino said Aklanons should remember patriotic leaders who struggled and sacrificed for Aklan’s separation from Capiz as an independent province.
President Ramon Magsaysay signed Republic Act 1414 on April 25, 1956 authored by Cong. Godofredo P. Ramos, hailed as the “Father of Aklan”.
Ramos then represented the 3rd District of Capiz.
RA 1414 officially separated Aklan from the province of Capiz.
“Those who cannot remember their remote ancestors cannot be remembered by their remote descendants. It is their patriotic efforts that carved a distinct province of Aklan even before the enactment of Republic Act 1414, such as Don. Natalio B. Acevedo and Prof. Simeon Mobo Reyes who presented the first memorial separation of Aklan to Chairman William Taft of the 2nd Philippine Commission in April 14, 1901,” Tolentino said.
Reps. Jose Alba-Urquiola and Eufronio Alba of 2nd and 3rd Districts of Capiz were among the first Aklan leaders who presented a bill for the separation of Aklan. However, the politically influential Capiceños who were against the separation were in power in 1920.
It was later renamed as Urquiola-Pastrana bill when Alba lost on Pastrana’s protest against the election of Alba.
In 1925, Reps. Manuel Laserna and Teodulfo Suñer in 1930 tried to seek the separation of Aklan from Capiz but this also proved futile.
“While Aklanons always claim and insist on their distinct and unique identity and civilization as one of the original sakops of the Confederation of Madyaas during the 13th century, we cannot do away with the period in our rich history when we were once integrated in the province of Capiz,” the vice governor said.
In 1934, Rep. Dr. Rafael S. Tumbokon of the 3rd District also introduced the separation bill and successfully secured the approval of the Committee on Provincial and Municipal Governments after the due hearings. But he failed to push through in November of 1934 due to lack of time.
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